Uploaded December 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Motorized avalanche educator Mike Duffy gives us his five guidelines for staying out of danger in the backcountry. From riding one at a time on a hill to altering your riding based on the avalanche forecast, Duffy discusses essentials to consider when riding with a group in avalanche terrain.
Motorized avalanche educator Mike Duffy gives us his five guidelines for staying out of danger in the backcountry. From riding one at a time on a hill to altering your riding based on the avalanche forecast, Duffy discusses essentials to consider when riding with a group in avalanche terrain.
![BCA [EDGE]ucation Season 2 - Ensuring Safe Regroup Locations : Backcountry Access](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_wuthxRrJks/mqdefault.jpg "BCA [EDGE]ucation Season 2 - Ensuring Safe Regroup Locations : Backcountry Access
Backcountry Access [EDGE]ucation is back and better than ever—with a second season of no-frills backcountry education tips from BCA co-founder Bruce “Edge” Edgerly. In a series of thirteen concise, easy to digest videos, Edge and expert guests break down key takeaways from their continuing avalanche education, with lessons on everything from identifying red flags in the snowpack to group searching techniques, transceiver interference, applying the avalanche forecast to terrain choice, and much more. [EDGE]ucation is here to refresh and reinforce your existing avalanche education and to keep your skills sharp and up to date when preparing to enter the backcountry. Learn more at www.backcountryaccess.com")
![[EDGE]ucation S3 Field Notes - Probe perpendicular to the slope!](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/a0pZQMGcsBw/mqdefault.jpg "[EDGE]ucation S3 Field Notes - Probe perpendicular to the slope!
Probing perpendicular to the slope during a fine search is essential to maximize your potential of striking a buried victim. BCA ambassador Mike Duffy demonstrates the mechanics of probing plumb (a common mistake) versus perpendicular.
Learn more at www.backcountryaccess.com/blog")
![[EDGE]ucation - Does my cell phone affect my avalanche transceiver?](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aCy4ja2sUVM/mqdefault.jpg "[EDGE]ucation - Does my cell phone affect my avalanche transceiver?
[Edge]ucation meets myth busters: cell phone interference edition. In this video, BCA co-founder Bruce Edgerly demonstrates the effects of a cell phone when searching with an avalanche transceiver. He uses an old analog transceiver to illustrate what electromagnetic noise sounds like, then replaces the analog transceiver with a Tracker4 to show the effects on a modern, three-antenna digital transceiver.
When your beacon is in transmit mode, there are no tangible effects of a cell phone on a transceiver search, even if they are very close together. In search mode, you can experience loss of receive range and even false readings if your cell phone is within a few inches (or several centimeters) of your searching transceiver.
The bottom line? Follow the “20/50” rule. Store any electronic devices at least 20 cm (8 inches—or one “hand width”—away from your transmitting beacon. In search mode, keep your searching beacon 50 cm (20 inches) away from electronic devices. This is one arm’s length, which is good search technique anyway!
Learn more about avalanche transceivers and shop here: https://backcountryaccess.com/en-us/c/rescue-gear/avalanche-beacons/")
![[EDGE]ucation - Turn the Beacons Off in Multiple Burials](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aW3fxRR3VsQ/mqdefault.jpg "[EDGE]ucation - Turn the Beacons Off in Multiple Burials
Dont be overwhelmed by the multiple burials functions on your transceivers. Rather, keep it simple. In most cases of a multiple burial scenario, start by digging out the victim until you can get to their airway, make sure they are breathing, and TURN OFF their transceiver. Your transceiver in search mode will then take you to the next signal. Remember: your transceiver will always bring you to the closest signal. Use your last-seen points to begin, and narrow the search from there.
BCA co-founder Bruce Edgerly suggests you learn how to conduct a multiple burial search both ways: by using the functions on your transceiver, AND by learning how to turn off your partners transceivers.
Learn more and shop transceivers here: https://backcountryaccess.com/en-us/c/rescue-gear/avalanche-beacons/")
